Jeming plunged into the laboratory, tirelessly researching the secrets deep within the body of the Magma Giant.

Day and night, without fatigue, time seemed to lose its meaning for him.

However, the several-days-long “research frenzy” was finally broken by the “ding-ding——” notification from the Magic Network Terminal.

Jeming, looking slightly bewildered, lifted his head from the ocean of data, instinctively opening the Magic Network Terminal by reflex.

At this moment, his highly active brain was still calculating data and experimental information related to the transformation of the Magma Giant.

The message was from David.

The other party concisely stated that he had completed his promotion to Second Level Wizard and sent this message specifically to thank Jeming for his earlier transformation of the Elorcia Plane’s indigenous people.

These transformed indigenous people had helped him fulfill his past promise to the sage of the Elorcia Plane.

Jeming blinked and only after a few seconds did he come back to his senses.

He then realized that unknowingly, since the last communication with David, he had been researching for decades!

“No wonder,” Jeming murmured softly to himself, his fingertips gliding over the research records on the light screen, “the research progress on the biological evolution of the Magma Giant is already near its end; it turns out so much time has passed.”

But immediately, Jeming’s brows furrowed sharply.

He suddenly felt… as if he had overlooked something extremely important.

Instinctively, he began to flip through all the message records on the Magic Network Terminal.

Those unread messages, ignored for decades, rushed into his already highly active brain like a tide.

After a long while, Jeming finally realized the unsettling anomaly that made his heartbeat quicken: Amy and Victor hadn’t sent any replies since their departure for military service many years ago!

Instinctively, Jeming wanted to send them a greeting message.

But as his fingertips touched the send key on the light screen, a line flashed up automatically, cold and blood-red in its automatic reply:

[Target account: Victor Salario, confirmed ‘dead’ status.]

[Target account: Amy Grey Sparrow, confirmed ‘dead’ status.]

Boom!

In an instant, Jeming felt as though struck by lightning.

His whole body, as if hit hard, became instantly rigid in place.

Despite Jeming’s powerful brain activity, he still felt bewildered for several minutes after seeing this message.

His brain, capable of handling vast amounts of information, was at this moment blank, unable to grasp the meaning of the words before him.

Afterward, he forcibly suppressed his shocked disbelief, with trembling fingertips, unbelievably continuing to inspect.

He deeply queried the terminal’s underlying specific records regarding their deaths.

Soon, he found the true cause of their deaths.

[Mission Code: ‘Nest of Whispering Stars’, plane warfare mission.]

[Reason for mission failure: Technical error in indigenous people psychological guidance layer, plane core conquered was detonated by indigenous population’s ‘self-destruct mechanism’.]

[Casualties: Participating Wizard Squad, all perished. Victor Salario, casualty number: XXXX. Amy Grey Sparrow, casualty number: XXXX.]

[Remark: Both encountered plane self-destruction energy explosion, judged completely deceased according to contract response. Considering lack of remains, it is suggested the academy initiate the honor compensatory mechanism.]

Upon confirming the authenticity of the death news, Jeming found that he was momentarily unsure of his inner feelings.

Pain? Sadness?

Possibly, his chest felt as though something blocked it, making breathing difficult.

But it didn’t seem to be as severe as described in novels.

Jeming astonishingly noticed that the predominant emotion in his heart at this moment was a profound bewilderment and misunderstanding.

It was as if his brain, capable of researching complex formulas and theorems, suddenly couldn’t interpret the cold information on the light screen.

Death?

Those two, became dead just like that?

After a long time, Jeming, sitting in the comfortable chair, staring at the ever-flashing death messages on the light screen, finally came back to reality.

His instinctive response was to stand up to do something!

Anger?

Revenge?

Or, to go confirm this void-like death?

But then he sat back down in a slump.

If it were the previous life, perhaps he could still attend his friends’ funerals, offering a final farewell.

Or visit their homes to console their relatives.

But in this world, wizards seem to lack such customs.

More cruelly, Jeming suddenly realized he didn’t even know whom he could tell about this matter.

For wizards, death is all too common.

So much so that their concept of it is worlds apart from Jeming’s.

Moreover, even though Jeming had known Victor and Amy for many years, he knew nothing about their family situations.

He wasn’t even sure if they had any family members.

It was only at this moment that Jeming truly realized that, despite having been in this perilous Wizard World for so many years, deep down, he was still the ordinary person from his past life.

He still held onto the most primitive and purest obsession with life and friendship that ordinary people have.

Sitting on a chair, Jeming remained motionless and thought for a long time.

In the end, he sent Viola a message about Victor and Amy’s death.

Because he remembered that back on the Elorcia Plane, Amy seemed to have mentioned that Viola was a friend of her parents.

To Jeming’s surprise, shortly after he sent the message, Viola swiftly made a communication request.

Jeming hesitated for a moment, but eventually accepted the call.

Seeing Viola’s somewhat mocking face appear on the screen, Jeming suddenly regretted telling her about it.

“Oh~~ dear junior~” Viola’s malicious voice boomed from the communicator, “This is so rare! Your pained expression over the death of friends is one in a million among the wizards I know! It’s honestly— quite satisfying to watch!”

Hearing this, anger surged in Jeming’s heart.

He clenched his fist tightly. Although he was somewhat angry, reason told him that Viola’s reaction and words represented the most ‘normal’ reaction to life and death among the veteran wizards of this world.

Pain is his own concern and unrelated to others.

In fact, if you’re not familiar, no one would care at all.

“No, proper wizards wouldn’t really feel joy just because of my pain.” Jeming looked at Viola and quietly added to himself.

Immediately, a “thud” sounded from the screen.

It seemed Viola was abruptly pulled away from the screen and tossed aside.

Then, the familiar and authoritative voice of Professor Clark came through the background, carrying a trace of helplessness and fatigue: “Viola! Stop fooling around! Quickly finish organizing today’s data!”

Afterward, Professor Clark’s unkempt and slightly balding face replaced Viola’s on the screen.

Compared to Viola’s schadenfreude, Clark’s expression was much more normal.

Without a hint of mockery, he simply and calmly examined Jeming’s somewhat downcast and confused appearance.

Then Clark’s hoarse voice came through the screen:

“This is because you’re too ‘immature’ right now. Jeming, your current mindset means that at heart, you’re still an ordinary mortal, not a truly mature wizard.”

“But it’s nothing to worry about. After experiencing a few more of these situations, you’ll become a truly mature wizard.”

Hearing these seemingly harsh words from Clark, Jeming felt a warm surge inside: “I’m sorry to bother you, Professor…”

He looked at Professor Clark on the screen, his eyes filled with gratitude.

He knew very well that Viola taking time from her busy schedule to reply to him and provoking him in such an “improper” way must have been with Professor Clark’s permission, or even his arrangement.

Moreover, the speed at which the two replied was certainly no coincidence.

This surely meant they were constantly concerned about his psychological state.

However, wizards are indeed not good at comforting people.

So the two of them might have only been able to try to lighten his sadness and disorientation in this unique wizardly way to help him transform quickly.

Professor Clark’s rough-looking face didn’t stay on the screen for long.

After analyzing Jeming’s current state, he simply nodded at Jeming as if handling a trivial matter, and then decisively cut off the communication.

Only before the communication completely terminated, Jeming could still hear Viola’s rather miserable wail.

Staring blankly at the screen that had suddenly gone dark, Jeming blinked a few times.

The laboratory returned to its usual silence, the only sound being the faint hum of the alchemy instruments.

Yet somehow, after Viola’s sharp “mockery” and Professor Clark’s calm “lecture,” the chaos in his heart caused by his friends’ death had inexplicably eased a lot.

It was a peculiar feeling, as if a heavy boulder pressing on his heart had been roughly and directly pried open, allowing a sliver of sunlight to shine through.

Shaking his head, Jeming temporarily suppressed those chaotic thoughts, trying to immerse himself back into the research on modifying the Magma Giants.

Professor Clark was right; for wizards, the pursuit of knowledge is the eternal theme.

Ultimately, any emotional turbulence will be smoothed by the river of time.

(Extra update, one more chapter to come.)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep